Andersonville plans special program for POW/MIA Recognition Day
Staff Reports
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ANDERSONVILLE — Andersonville National Historic Site will host a ceremony recognizing the service of Prisoners of War and those Missing In Action on Sept. 20.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with interpretive programs highlighting the stories of POWs and MIAs. At 7 p.m., a panel discussion will take place in the auditorium, featuring former POW Wayne Waddell; Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) school commander Maj. Nicholas Barwikowski; and moderated by Fred Boyles, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Friends of Andersonville. Throughout the evening, the exhibits and bookstore will be open inside the National Prisoner of War Museum.
However, the prison site tour road and Andersonville National Cemetery will be closed during this rare night-time event. The museum and park will close at 8:30 p.m. The panel discussion will be live-streamed on Andersonville National Historic Site’s Facebook page for those unable to attend the event in person. Rangers will be taking questions from the virtual audience for the panelists to answer. Call (229) 924-0343 for more information.
Waddell served for more than 30 years in the United States Air Force, including a harrowing experience as a POW after being shot down on his 47th combat mission over North Vietnam in 1967. Captured and held for nearly six years, he was honored for his bravery and resilience with numerous awards, including the Silver Star (2), Purple Heart, and Prisoner of War medal.
Barwikowski currently serves as the U.S. Army SERE school commander at Fort Novosel, Ala. He is responsible for conducting 25 three-week classes per year to train all aviation branch officers, as well as all other soldiers from across the Army who are identified as being at “high risk” of isolation.
Boyles enjoyed a distinguished 33-year career with the National Park Service, where he served as superintendent of four sites, including Andersonville National Historic Site from 1989 to 2009. In parallel to his Park Service career, Boyles served as a Supply Corps officer in the Navy Reserve, retiring as a captain after 29 years.
Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe and 10 miles northeast of Americus on Georgia Highway 49. It is one of 431 National Park Service sites saved by the American people so that all may experience the country’s heritage. Admission to the park is free. For more information about the park, call (229) 924-0343, visit the www.nps.gov/ande website or check us out on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.
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